To Love a Vampyre
by Midana Hollow
Summary: In a city where people are dying mysteriously, Hitomi Kanzaki finds a man surrounded in a pool of blood in her hallway. The strange thing is that he has no wounds. What will happen to her when she is drawn in a world full of mystery, blood and romance?
1. A Body in the Hallway

Hey all!  Decided to start a new fic, even though I should be updating the other one…  Heh heh… I like to start things and not finish them. ^-^;  Anyways it's a Vampire fic with Hitomi and Dilandau.  Please please please, read and review.  I'll make you my new best friend!  

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Escaflowne or any of the character from Escaflowne.  They are the respected property of Bandai.  However, the plot belongs to me and so does the content of this fan fiction.

**_1749_**

Chronicles of the Damned 

_This must be written.  A new breed of demon has come into our world.  Though appearing to be human, it is much more that it seems.  It feeds, on human blood.  With fangs for teeth, these creatures bite into the necks of innocent humans, man, woman and child alike.  It is swift, disappearing with the wind and shadows and its strength is the same as 5 men.  It does not breathe and its heart does not beat.  Only from hell is where such a damned creature could have come from._

_They are multiplying now, a species that should not even exist.  These creatures are creating more monsters by forcing demons into humans.  After they feed on a human, sucking them dry, and exchange of blood takes place.  It offers its own blood.  The moment any human allows their lips to touch it, they also will be damned.  Forever._

_The Church cannot stop them.  Even for demons, they have no fear of the cross or even our holiest of relics.  They do not cower in fear, but laugh and spit on them.  The king's soldiers cannot stop them with arrows or swords.  We are defenceless.  These demons have swept across the land, ravaging towns, destroying lives.  But, all is not lost.  _

_We, the Church, have found a prophecy, one dating back to more than 100 years ago.  It talks of these creatures, describing them in perfect detail.  It talks of a warrior, one who will lead men to victory against the damned.  He will destroy them and bring peace to the world.  He will assassin of the Vampyres._

**_2004_**

_Asturia _

"Oh my God, this is heavy!" groaned Hitomi Kanzaki.  Her arms were full with two large, brown, paper bags that were filled with at least a weeks worth of groceries.  Putting down two bags, she used her now free hand to fumble with her keys and open the door to her apartment.  "So close, but so far away," groaned Hitomi as she stared longingly at the sofa and countertop.    She grabbed the two bags from the floor and stepped into the apartment, or at least tried to.  Instead of the stepping in, one of her boot heels got caught in the doorframe and she tripped.  For an instant, Hitomi was in the air, flying.  But then, a little thing called gravity took over, and Hitomi fell to the floor when an earth shattering clonk.  After she hit the floor, then came her groceries.  The peanut butter managed to hit her in the head.  "OW!  WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU!?"   

Grumbling, and rubbing a small bump, she stood up and kicked the door shut.  She took off her thick coat, and ran a hand through her honey brown hair.  "What did I do to deserve this?" she muttered while bending down to pick up the fallen food.  When she came to peanut better, she frowned and said, " I don't like you anymore."

After everything was in place, Hitomi grabbed a pint of cookies n' cream ice cream and sat down in front of the TV.  She snatched the remote and started flipping through the channels.  A small frown formed on her face when she turned to the 7 o' clock news.  _He struck again._

"A elderly women was found today at the downtown west park at 9 am by a jogger.  The coroner has confirmed that her time of death was yesterday between the times of 8 and 10 PM.  Police are suspecting that she is yet another victim of the serial killer that has been terrorizing downtown.  One strange thing about all the victims though are their wounds.  They have none.  However, the cause of death is loss of blood.   No specific markings are on the victims, only slight bruising to the neck a few scratches.  With so little clues, the police are in a tight fix.  And now to Gloria reporting live in the downtown west park."

Still with a frown on her face, Hitomi switched off the TV and shovelled another spoon of ice cream into her mouth.  A frustrated sigh escaped Hitomi's lips.  Her friend Yukari, park of the group of detectives working on this case, had already warned her about this guy, or girl.  She called it "the crime of the century" because of the little evidence they had and the many victims they had found.  All without any major wounds, but all totally sucked of blood.  The surroundings showed there was no sign of struggle.  

What frustrated Yukari more was the victims they had found.  The killer didn't seem to be target any gender or age group.  All the victims had been so random.  From the first, a young male college student, to the latest, an elderly woman.  Now, Yukari was barely sleeping and seemed to be living on a diet of coffee.  Remembering the conversation they had a week together still made Hitomi feel kind of weirded out.

_Last Week_

_"Hey 'Kari, wanna get some breakfast?"_

_"Already had breakfast."_

_"Yukari you have a cup of coffee, that's not breakfast."_

_"Yes it is."_

_"No, it isn't"_

_"Yeah huh"_

_"Nuh uh"_

_"Yeah huh"_

_"Nuh uh"_

_"Yeah huh"_

_"OK! STOP!  What are we?  6?"_

_"I'll be fine!  Besides coffee is part of a complete diet!  See, it's even on healthy food chart thingy.."_

_"Yukari, that's not a healthy food chart.  **That **is a coffee ad."_

_"Oh."_

_Present_

"I have to get some real food into that girl," mutter Hitomi.  The cookies n' cream ice cream was starting to take its toll.  "Oh dear God… I feel fat.  And sleepy."  A yawn passed through her lips and Hitomi stretched her arms above her.  A small crack could be heard along with a small yelp and mutter afterwards.  Hitomi stood up and several more cracking noises could be heard, and following them were words that could scar a child for life.  _I'm getting old… soon I'll have trouble going to the washroom and will have mush fed to me through a plastic tube.  _Trudging to the washroom, she took her toothbrush and toothpaste of the counter and started to brush her teeth.  After the brush had been in her mouth for about 5 seconds, she heard a yell.  

"Holy crap."  Hitomi spat out a mouthful of white foam and wiped her mouth.  Panic and fear shone in her eyes and her breathing became ragged.  _Shit shit shit, please don't let it be who I think it is.  _Tiptoeing to her door, Hitomi tried calming herself.  Deep breaths could be heard and echoed in the roomy apartment.  She was still shaking as she placed her eye near the little hole in the door and looked out.  Nothing.  Nothing?

"Wha?"  Blinking is surprise; Hitomi got on her tiptoes and looked out again.  She could see nothing.  Nothing but the pale beige walls and cream coloured carpet that was the hall.  But then, what made that yelling noise?  There was no way she could be hearing things!  Unless the stress had finally kicked in and she had snapped…

_No way in hell, I heard what I heard_ thought Hitomi.  She slowly started to reach for the doorknob, when a small groan could be heard.  That small noise made her freeze on the spot.  _Now that was definitely real.  _Well, now she knew she wasn't crazy, but a new problem came up.  To open or not to open?  A pros and cons list materialized in her head.  _Pro: could save someone who is about to die.  Con: could be killed.  Wow, this makes choosing soooo easy.  Ugh, Pro- _Hitomi was never able to finish that thought; because another groan and dull thump interrupted her.  Without another thought, she undid the lock and opened the door.  

When she looked out, she saw nothing.  _Oh God, I am crazy.  _Turning to her left, some thing caught her attention.  The cream coloured carpet was no longer cream coloured.  Instead, a dark red stain had touched it and led into the shadows.  Hitomi bit her lip and grasped onto the doorframe to keep herself from collapsing.  Taking deep breaths, she slowly walked towards the shadows, following the trail of blood.  Her bare feet were trying to avoid touching the dark liquid but failed.  The moment it touched her feet, she could feel that it was still warm.  Whimpers were now heard and echoed in the long hall, but she kept going.  

It was completely pitch black, and Hitomi's eyes were trying to adjust to their new surroundings.  Suddenly, she stepped on something and time seemed to stand still.  A shaky breath was released from Hitomi as she bent down to see what it was.  Her fingers stroked a soft material, almost like silk.  Moving her fingers up, she felt buttons.  _A shirt?_  She drew a shaky breath when she realized that someone was wearing the shirt._  Oh God…  _Her fingers now had found the face; Hitomi could feel that it was a male.  She also could feel no breath coming from him.  

"Holy shit." Hitomi stood up suddenly and ran to her apartment and grabbed the phone.  First three digits she dialled: 9–1–1.

"Police, fire, ambulance."

"Uh… ambulance."  _Calm down Hitomi!  You have to stay calm and talk.  _In the state of nervousness, she started to pace back and forth.  The blood that stained her feet now stained her cherry wood floors.  

"Hello 911, state your emergency."

"Uh, um…  There's a man in my hallway, and there's blood all around him, it's soaked in the carpet."  Little whimpers were leaving Hitomi, her fingers raking through her hair.  

"Alright, Ma'am, can you tell me where you are?"

"I'm in Asturian Rose, the apartment complex.  Uh… the 4th floor."  Turning back and looking out the door she added, "I think you should hurry.  He's unconscious and I don't think he's breathing."  A strangled choking noise escaped through her lips when she realized that.

"Calm down Ma'am, there's an ambulance on its way."

"Thank you."  Frantically, Hitomi put down the phone and raced back to the hallway to the man.  When she reached him, she carefully lowered her head to level to check for breathing.  None.  _Think Hitomi, what did you learn in the CPR course?_  Biting her lip, she carefully tipped his head back and pinched his nose.  Her lips lowered onto his and she breathed into him.  Eyes darted to his chest, checking to see if would rise.  It didn't.  Still biting her lip, determination flashing in her eyes, she started to do chest compressions.  "Please, please come on live."  

Hitomi could hear heavy footsteps coming up from the stairs and the wailing of sirens outside.  

"Christ… look at the blood." a soft whisper from one of the paramedics.  "Miss, are you alright.  Miss?"  The paramedic took out his flashlight and shone it on her.  Hitomi instinctively shaded her eyes from the bright light before yelling back, "HELP!  HE'S NOT BREATHING!"  Now two paramedics rushed over to her.  From the light of their flashlights, she could see his face.  Beautiful.  His skin was pale, like the moon with hair to match.  High cheekbones graced his face along with a strong jaw.  

"On three, one, two, three!"  As the paramedics lifted him carefully onto the stretcher, Hitomi could see blood dripping from his silver hair.  Looking back to where he lay before, there was a large puddle of blood, so much so that the carpet could not soak it.  

"Miss, I think you should come with us.  We're going to have to ask you some questions."  The paramedic's gentle voice interrupted her thoughts and brought her out from her trance like state.  

"Yeah, sure…"

O…k… That wasn't what I had originally planned, but it's still ok right?  Right?  * Looks so very desperate *  Please give me some feedback!  Review!  Please!  Or you can review Fighting for Dreams!  BYE BYE!

'Dana


	2. The Living Dead

Yes, an update. AMAZING ISN'T IT?  Lol, anyways I did this in 2 days, so if it's not that good… don't blame me.  Oh and please, please read and review!

**Thank You's**

****

Thank you to all my reviewers:

**Kya77**

**MysticalDreamer32**

**Blue Demon**

**blonde-hitomi**

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****

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Escaflowne or any of the character from Escaflowne.  They are the respected property of Bandai.  However, the plot belongs to me and so does the content of this fan fiction.__

_"Miss, I think you should come with us.  We're going to have to ask you some questions."  The paramedic's gentle voice interrupted her thoughts and brought her out from her trance like state.  _

_"Yeah, sure…"_

Downtown 

"Where did you find him?" asked the obviously overworked detective.  He and a young girl, around 20 years old, were sitting together in a small, dimly lit room.  It was sparsely furnished, with only a square table and a few wooden chairs.  There were no windows to the outside, only one large mirror that covered almost the whole west wall.  The detective grabbed his coffee from the table and took a sip, eyes always focused on the girl, Hitomi.

"I found him in the fourth floor hallway, in my apartment complex," replied Hitomi.  Her eyes gazed back at the detective, not the least bit fazed by his stare.  Yukari had told her that some detectives at the station did this as an intimidation technique.  The detective took a yellow file folder from the table and flipped through it quickly, stopping on a particular page.

"Your apartment complex, the Asturian Rose?"

"Yeah, hey look when can I get out of here?"  Impatience flickered in her eyes.  She had been in the same room for almost 30 minutes and that wasn't including the time she had to wait for the detective to come and see her.   Besides, she wanted to see him, the man in her hallway.  _He wasn't breathing, but he'll be okay.  The doctors will help him.  _

"You in a rush?"  Curiosity and suspicion danced in the detective's eyes, like he just found a big clue. 

"Yeah, I want to phone my friend Yukari-"

"Yukari Uchida?  She's working on the downtown murder case, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Pretty big-time detective then huh?  She has a lot of influence here, she probably could get you out of here easily."

"So?"

A smug smile started to form on his face.  Hitomi could feel goose bumps form on her arms and for once her eyes looked away from his.  _Why is he looking at me that way?  _Chewing on her lower lip, she looked up at him again, uneasiness all over her face.  One single thought bounced back and forth in her mind: _Why is he looking at me that way?_

"So, you think if you just make a little phone call to Miss Uchida, you can just slip out of here a free woman huh?  No charges or anything."

"What are you saying?"  Then, like a bolt of lightning, it hit her.  _Jesus Christ, he thinks I did it.  He thinks that I killed that man_.  _That's why they've brought me here, to be questioned.  _Sweat was starting to form on the palms of her hands, and everything became a messy blur.  Hitomi felt as if the room was closing in on her, and refusing to let her out.  _I need to get out of here, out of this room, this building, just out.  _Trying to calm herself, she took deep, shaky breaths and tried to listen as the detective continued.

"I'm saying that you want to use her so that you can get out of here.  Be free and never get charged for that guy's murder.  Hey, maybe you're the downtown murderer," laughed the detective bitterly.  "No wonder you haven't been caught yet, being the Head Detective's best friend, who would accuse you?" he paused again to stare at her.  "Did you enjoy getting away with—"

"Stop it."  Deep breaths could not calm her now, she was hyperventilating and her clammy hands gripped tightly at the table.  

"Away with it?  With murder?"

As soon as the word _murder_ left his lips, Hitomi lost it.  Her green eyes blazed with immeasurable fury that even the detective found them threatening.  Red splotches stained her cheeks and as she spoke, her voice trembled slightly.  

"I DID NOT MURDER ANYONE AND HOW DARE YOU THINK THAT!"

"Hitomi!"  A tall, slim red headed figure came sprinting across the hall and into the small room.  The red head's eyes shone with worry, but when they came across the detective, hardened immediately.  Who else could it be but Yukari Uchida?

With narrowed eyes, she glared at the detective.  "Why has Hitomi Kanzaki been here for so long?  Reception outside said you've been in here with her for nearly 30 minutes!"  The male detective blinked at her.  He had been so vocal back then, but once brought into Miss Uchida's attention she had rendered him speechless.  It was no surprise though, the red head had that effect on most people.

"I-I-I-"

"You what?!  Speak up!"

"I-I have reason to believe that she killed the man we found."

Yukari's slim eyebrow arched up.  "And what reason is that?  I just read the report, she was the one who FOUND him, not KILLED him."  With that statement, she had destroyed the accusation the detective had made against Hitomi.  He now was looking down in shame because he knew that he had no proof. 

"Amateur, get out and learn some shit before making accusations."

"Yes Detective Uchida."  With his eyes still looking at the blue linoleum floor he shuffled out.  Once out, both Yukari and Hitomi let out a sigh of relief.  Their eyes met and a smile took shape on both their lips, then a small laugh.

"Thanks 'Kari."

"No problem.  Sorry 'bout him, new guy you know.  Wants to prove something…  Don't know what though…"

"It's alright," replied Hitomi, smile still shining on her face.  Thank God for Yukari, she was always there for her.  Actually, she had been there for her all of her life, from kindergarten through high school and even after college.  Yukari was definitely the more down-to-earth and strong one in their friendship.  If Hitomi were a boat, Yukari would be her anchor keeping her from being swept away into the sea and lost forever.

Now, however, both their smiles were slowly fading and the same thought crossed their minds: _Now what are we going to do?_

"Hey 'Kari?"

"Yeah?"

"Do they really think I did it?  That I killed him?" a pair worry-stricken eyes stared into Yukari's.  When no answer came, Hitomi continued, panic and nervousness obviously becoming increasingly noticeable in her voice.  "I mean, I was the one who found him, and the only at the scene of the crime and- God do they really think I did it?"

"No, not for now at least…" Yukari's face remained calm and her voice was soothing, but her eyes reflected one emotion, doubt.

"Is he alright?"

Now, Yukari's ever-calm face betrayed her.  Her mouth parted slightly to take a sharp breath and her eyes shifted to the floor.  She seemed to be trying to say something, but not a sound ever left her lips.  Silence echoed in to room, and now the answer to Hitomi's question was obvious.

"I'm sorry Hitomi, the doctors did all they could, they really tried."

"I understand, I do," mumbled Hitomi.  _It's all my fault.  If I hadn't been such a coward and panicked I might have saved his life.  God, I'm useless. _Tears formed and burned Hitomi's eyes, and one by one, they fell onto the floor.  It was so hushed in the room that both people could hear the sound of the tears contacting the floor.  Yukari looked nervously at her for a while, waiting for some more dialogue, but none came.   

"It's not your fault you know—"

"Yes it is!  I was so scared and I panicked and Christ—I could have saved him Yukari!"

"No you couldn't, the doctors, they said he was already dead before you even found him."

A chill ran down Hitomi's spine moments after Yukari said that.  _He was dead before you even found him._  That meant it wasn't her fault, she wasn't to blame.  But that didn't make sense, it couldn't make sense!  She heard the groans coming from the hall and the sound of the body thump onto the carpeted floor.  If he wasn't the one who made those sounds, then who did?

"Look Hitomi, I know you've been through a lot tonight.  Hell, you've been through what others will never have to go through.  But, I need you do something for me."

"What?"

"I need you to come to the hospital with me," there was a hesitant pause before she continued, "Because I need you to identify the body."

Hitomi's shocked expression was mixed with dread and fear.  "'Kari I don't think I could do that."  She brought her hands to cover her face and then rubbed her eyes.  "In fact, I can't do it at all."

"I'm sorry Hitomi, but it's procedure.  The police couldn't find any I.D. on him or any other information for that matter.  You were the one who found him and you have to identify him.  I'm sorry, but that's the way it goes."

Whimpers could be heard from Hitomi, and Yukari's tone softened.  "Don't worry, I will be right there beside you."

"Alright…"

_Asturian General Hospital_

The drive there had been silent.  Yukari drove her beat up old Volkswagen while Hitomi sat in the back seat gazing out the window.  It was late, even the clubs were beginning to close and the party girls and drunks were hailing for cabs.  A slow drizzle was beginning to fall and Hitomi could hear it against the cold window.  _Tap, tap, tap.  _Looking out again, she noticed that now the skimpily dressed party girls were shrieking and seeking shelter while the drunks opened their mouth thinking the water was some alcoholic drink.

 Hitomi turned away from the scene and closed her eyes dreading what lay ahead.

Moments later, they arrived at the hospital.  The second Hitomi entered the building and saw the police, her stomach lurched.  She walked by the waiting area, where worried families huddled together to pray.  Others there were crying, probably because they had just lost someone close to them.  _Oh God.  What if they finally find his family?  Will they cry and mourn?  Will the blame the killer?  Or will they blame me?_

As they got into the elevator, Yukari looked at her best friend.  She was a wreck.  Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, and she was biting her lip so much that Yukari was beginning to think that she would bleed in the next second or two.  Hitomi was wringing her hands non-stop, another nervous habit of hers.

 As they finally arrived to the long awaited floor, they stepped out of the elevator.  Leaning in, Yukari whispered to Hitomi, "Breathe and calm down, it'll be ok."

Hitomi forced herself to take deep, slow breaths, _inhale 1, 2, 3, exhale 1, 2, 3.  _They walked down the bare corridors, shoes clicking against the shiny, white floor.  Yukari could swear she could see her reflection perfectly in them.  At the end of the corridor, a group of police officers along with a few doctors waited for them.

"Hello, gentlemen," greeted Yukari in her usual professional tone.  "This is Miss Hitomi Kanzaki, the woman who found the deceased."  She gestured towards Hitomi, and Hitomi managed to raise her head and force a weak smile onto her face.

"Hello."

"Hello Miss, uh, Kanzaki was it?" started one of the doctors.  He was the shortest one there with spectacles that seemed to be on the brink of falling off.   His had tuffs of thick, dark hair along the sides of his head, but none on the top.  As Hitomi looked down on him, she couldn't help but think his head reminded her of a turtle's shell.

"Yes, it's Kanzaki."

"Well, if you will come with me and identify the deceased."  He motioned to the door right next to them and waited for her answer.

With a shaky breath Hitomi replied with, "Sure."

Together, he and Hitomi, along with some policemen (and woman including Yukari) entered the room.  Once they went in, Hitomi couldn't help but notice the acidic smell of chemicals used to cover up the scent of blood.  It sent chills up her spine and burns her nose.  The room was rather big, with your basic medical supplies.  It had a few signature furniture pieces such as the oak table and matching chairs.  But what caught Hitomi's attention was the stretcher pushed to the side of the room.  There was a human shape under it.

 "Miss Kanzaki, if you please," said the doctor as he removed the sheet that had been covering the body.  It was him, the same man from the hallway.

"Yes, that's him."

"Alright, I'll go copy that down," said Yukari.  "Boys," she barked at the policemen, "come along now."  Now, everyone was at the other end of the room, far from the lifeless body, all except for Hitomi.  She was standing right next to him, an unidentifiable emotion on her face.

The sheet had been pulled down to the middle of his chest, revealing broad shoulders and a muscular chest.  He skin was unbelievably pale, the reason why, she didn't know.  She looked at the familiar face, from his high cheekbones to the strong jaw, the pale, almost white hair.  _It's him.  I can't believe he's dead._  Bending over slightly till there was only a foot between their faces she said, "I'm sorry, I really tried to save you, forgive me please." Her voice was cracked, but filled with emotion.  Against her will, a tear fell from her eye to his cheek.

Sniffling, she reached out to brush it away.  _Stop crying Hitomi!_

The instant her hand contacted his pale skin, another hand shot up and grabbed her.  A loud gasp escaped Hitomi's lips and her eyes were filled with confusion and shock.  She tried to take a step back, but the other hand help firmly onto hers, denying her the escape her yearned for.   Hitomi's eyes scanned the hand that had grabbed her and the body it came from.  It was the dead man's.  Shallow, shaking breaths were emitted from Hitomi, and she could hear her heartbeat in her ears, pounding so fast like a drummer would do on drums.  

A moan escaped from the man, who was supposedly dead and his eyes moved under his eyelids.  Then, they flickered open.  Blood red orbs started into her green ones.  His red eyes, looked her up and down before glancing at his surroundings.  Slowly, a smirk formed on the delicate features and he released her hand.  

Still in shock, Hitomi stumbled back into a cabinet causing bottles and medical utensils to clatter onto the floor.  The man now sat up and was stretching.  

"Hitomi what the are you doing?" yelled an surprised Yukari, "you could try to do a bit more—Oh my God…"  Her sentence was left unfinished as she stared a man of the stretcher.  One thing looked wrong with the picture, he was _alive.  _"What the hell?!"

Now everyone was in shock, just staring at a man who was supposed to be dead.  But who had ever seen the dead SITTING UP?

The man now got of the stretcher and noticed he was naked.  A frown appeared on his face and he grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around his waist.  He looked up to see a gaping Hitomi, "Like what you see Miss?"  No response.  "Guess not."

Yukari had been the first to react, "Hey, stop right there!"  The bold order snapped everyone out of their state of shock and caused the man to turn away from Hitomi to face them.  Looking at the body, the moving body, everyone had the same thought crossing their minds, _ISN'T HE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD?_  

The pale man now raised a slim eyebrow as if to laugh at their so-called authority.  Scanning the room again, his eyes found a window right next to Hitomi, and grin appeared on his face.  In long, confident strides he walk over to it and punched the glass.  The sound of shattering glass hitting the floor and footsteps of the others coming near her swirled in Hitomi's mind.  

Hitomi turned her head to look at the man who was halfway through the window and onto the quiet street.  He stared right back and did something rather unexpected- he gave her a wink.  Then, he ran off into the night.  By, the time Yukari and the others had arrived, he had already disappeared into the shadows.

"Hey 'Kari?  I thought you said he was dead."

For some strange reason, I think I made Hitomi claustrophobic by accident… o.O;;  Anyways, read and review PLEASE!  I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL!!!! ^^

'Dana 


	3. An Unexpected Visitor

Hey!  YES I HAVE UPDATED!  'Tis a miracle isn't it.  Anyways, I'll try to update more often.  Oh and by the way, this was spell checked by Llama, so if there are any spelling mistakes… blame her.  But, thank you Llama for checking!!!  Your kindness and sarcastic editor's notes will always be treasured!

Thank You's 

**MysticalDreamer32**

**Seida02**

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**Llama ~thanks x 2!~**

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**Kya77**

**Dreamingofflyingaway**

**Night of the Raven**

**sweet life**

**SabineballZ**

_Hitomi turned her head to look at the man who was halfway through the window and onto the quiet street.  He stared right back and did something rather unexpected- he gave her a wink.  Then, he ran off into the night.  By, the time Yukari and the others had arrived, he had already disappeared into the shadows._

_"Hey 'Kari?  I thought you said he was dead."_

_Dragon Coffee Shop _

"He gives new meaning to "Dead man walking", that's for sure," muttered an obviously stressed Yukari.  She along with another young woman were sitting in a dimly lit coffee house.  Soft jazz could be heard in the background, as well as the soft words coming from the conversations of others.  Yukari's sarcastic comment was met only by silence and the red-head's eye twitched, she hated being ignored.  Glaring at the girl across from her, she realized that Hitomi hadn't even heard her.  Instead, she seemed to be more engrossed in her lemon tea.  

"Hello? Earth to Hitomi!"

"Huh, what?"  Two green eyes blinked back in confusion.  Yukari didn't answer, instead she glared.

"Seriously what?"

"Nothing."  Yukari fought the urge to snap at Hitomi.  She knew why she was so out of it.  Hell, almost anyone would be out of it if they'd gone through what Hitomi had.  Three days ago, Hitomi saw a dead man in her hallway, and on the same day, the same dead man walked again.  Christ, the man defied the balance between life and death!  Yukari forced these facts to the back of her head and tried to concentrate on her current situation.  Her eyes looked Hitomi up and down before resting on the mug in front of her friend.

"I don't get it."

"What?"

"We're in a coffee house, and you're drinking tea."

"Yeah, so?"

"Coffee house, coffee, ring any bells?"

"Well, I don't know any tea houses around here!" remarked Hitomi with a smirk on her face.  Yukari scowled and muttered something incoherent under her breath causing the smirk to grow larger.  Soon, her lips parted and a clear laugh could be heard.  Yukari looked up in disbelief and shook her head, a smile playing on the corners of her mouth. 

"Crazy girl who drinks in tea in a coffee house."  Hitomi responded simply by sticking out her tongue.  "Real mature."

"I know."  Now both girls broke down into a fit of giggles.  Their laughter slowly died down and now they once again heard the soft jazz music and light conversation around them.  Yukari's eyes moved to the clock that hung on the wall above Hitomi's head, it was 10 o'clock.  A frown played on her lips and worry was obvious in her eyes.  _We should really go home, who knows what might happen at night...  _

"Alright, let's go," said Hitomi as she pushed her mug away from her.  

"Wha...?  Do you have any unknown psychic powers that you want to tell me about? " 

A slim eyebrow arched on Hitomi face as she stared at her friend, "No, I'm not psychic.  I just noticed that you were staring at the clock above my head."

"So...?"

"So, you never do that unless you're bored and want to leave."

"I'm not bored!  I'm just-" Yukari managed to stop herself from saying something stupid.

"You're just worried, right?"

The redhead blinked back in surprise.  "Are you sure you're not psychic?"

"Pretty sure," laughed Hitomi.  With a smile still lingering on her lips, Hitomi grabbed her coat and slipped her arms through the sleeves.  "Come on, let's go."  Yukari took her purse off the table and checked if they left anything before following Hitomi out the door.  A cold wind sent chills down the spines of the two girls as they stepped out of the warm building.  Hitomi and Yukari semiconsciously pulled the collars of their coats closer to their necks.  

Walking along a well-lit street, Yukari glanced at Hitomi.  _How can she be so calm?  It's almost as if she forgot her whole ordeal!  Maybe that's what she want to do, forget the whole thing ever happened.  Hard to forget though_...  "Hey Hitomi," asked Yukari tentatively, "are you alright?"

"Huh, what do you mean?"  A confused Hitomi stared at Yukari, green eyes blinking once or twice.

"I mean, are you okay?  You've been so… calm about... Well, about the thing that happened.  You know. At the hospital?"  Yukari played with the buttons on her jacket, a sure sign of nervousness.  "Well, if you really don't want to talk about it, it's okay, I mean I could totally understand." Hitomi continued to stare blankly as Yukari babbled on and on about "understanding" and "talking".

"Er…  'Kari calm down for a sec.  I think you need to breathe."  

Yukari took a deep breath and looked at Hitomi with a sheepish smile.  

"I understand Yukari, honestly I do.  I just don't want to talk about it now."

"Well, you know I'm always there right?"

"Yes I do, you were just talking about it for a whole minute," said Hitomi with an amused smile on her face which only grew bigger when she added, "and on one breath!"

"Very funny," replied Yukari dryly.

The pair continued to walk until they reached a large building made of red brick.  A neat line of trees formed a frame around it as well as black steel gates.  The large wood doors with a cherry finish were at the top of a small set of stairs and had two small bushes on either side of it.  Above the door, in gold cursive, was "The Asturian Rose".  The two girls paused and stared at the building with a mix of complicated emotions in their eyes.  One girl reflected nervousness and worry, while the other stared with fear and apprehension. 

"You know 'Tomi, you could stay at my place.  I wouldn't mind at all," said a rather worried looking Yukari.  She continued to stare at Hitomi waiting for some kind of response.  But, to her disappointment, Hitomi continued to look at the building, her eyes never moving away from it.  "Hitomi?"

"I'll be fine Yukari, promise," said Hitomi with a reassuring smile on her face.  Her eyes seemed to be calm, but there was something hidden in them, something that she didn't want Yukari to see.  Yukari looked Hitomi up and down, searching for something and was about to say something.  But, she was cut off by Hitomi.  "I'm fine!  Honestly!"

"Only if your sure…" 

"I am, seriously.  Come on 'Kari!  I'm not some fragile and delicate flower!"

Yukari sighed, she should have known that her stubborn best friend would never give in.  Sighing again, she said goodnight and continued to walk back to her place in the dark, eyes always aware of whatever lurked in the shadows. 

Hitomi took a deep breath and walk through the black gates.  Her hands brushed against the railing as she walked slowly up the stairs and stopped in front of the door.  _I can do this.  I can make it through the night, I know I can.  _Taking another breath, she placed her hand on the door and opened it.  Eyes darted around, searching for anything that was moving in the dark.  Hitomi took small steps to the elevator, glancing behind her every now and then.  She pressed the button, and became increasingly nervous while she waiting for the slow elevator to come down to her floor.  

Finally, when it arrived, she practically ran inside and pressed the close several times.  After that, she pressed the number 4 button and leaned on one of the four walls of the elevator.  Her nervousness arose again, _I should have taken the stairs, quicker…_ _and more spacey…  _Her eyes wandered up to the top of the doors, watching as number 2 turned to 3 at a painstakingly slow pace.  _Hurry, hurry, come on!  _After 5 minutes, which seemed like an endless amount of time, the elevator reached the fourth floor and its doors opened.

Hitomi rushed out, running down the cream colour carpet, her boots making barely any noise.  She stopped dead in her tracks when she reached _there, _the place where he had been found.  A shudder ran down her spine as a jumble of thoughts streamed through her head.  _Silver hair, red eyes, his smirk.  Why is this happening now?_  Eyes travelled to the carpet.  Even with the countless amount of detergents and bleaches, the carpet still bore the deep stain of blood.  

Hitomi attempted to walk over the stain, but it was too big.  Gingerly, one boot touch the carpet then another.  For a split second, she thought she could smelt the burning smell of blood.  _Crazy, and impossible!  The custodian used so much bleach, it's impossible to smell the blood!  Snap out of it Hitomi and get to your apartment!  _

Hitomi ran the rest of the way till she reached familiar wood door and fumbled for her keys.  After a few seconds of searching and swearing, she fished her keys from her purse and opened the door.  Quickly stepping inside, she slammed the door shut and slid to the floor.  Her deep breaths echoed off the wall and into her ears.  _Oh shit…  This is going to be a long night.  Please let Yukari be awake…_

_Outside the Asturian Rose _

A pair of eyes watched Hitomi Kanzaki.  They were a brilliant shade of red and seemed to have a predatory glint in them.  The eyes watched Hitomi as she sunk down to the floor and ran her hands through her hair.  They continued to follow her as she went into her bedroom and shut the door.  From the darkness, the possessor of the eyes emerged, clothed in black.  An interesting colour to wear, because it exaggerated his already pale skin and silver hair.  A smirk formed on his lips and he said, "Hello again, miss."

The man had been sitting on the ledge of one of Hitomi's windows, balancing himself with amazing grace.  Slowly, one pale hand reached for the bottom of the window and forcefully opened it.  The lock that had been holding the window in place snapped as if it had been made of cheap plastic instead of brass.  The figure now pushed the window up and slipped through it with the poise of a cat.  He carefully closed the window and with a smirk, kicked the broken lock under the carpet.  

Taking a glance at his surroundings, he could not help but feel at home.  The walls had been painted a rich wine colour that contrasted well with the pure white leather couches in the living room.  The red also accented the cherry wood floor and shelves.  He turned around and was faced with a walled in kitchen.  The black marble counters were clean and had a bowl of fruit sitting on them.  A few chairs surrounded the outside of the counter.       

The man walked back to the living room, and slipped down into one of the white armchairs, barely making a noise.  _I'll wait for her to come out, after all, it is rude to interrupt.  _As he waited for an unsuspecting Hitomi, he picked up a newspaper from the glass coffee table in front of him.  The headline: DOWNTOWN MURDERER CAUGHT?  His eyes skimmed the whole article quickly, and a low chuckle rumbled from his throat.  The last sentence had caused it: "_Lately the murders have stopped, perhaps a sign that their will be no more bloodshed."  _He chuckled again.  _Stop.  Oh no, they'll be plenty of bloodshed tonight.  I'm sure of that._

The bedroom door opened with a crisp click, and the man put down the newspaper.  He stayed still, blending in with the shadow that the big white armchair provided him.  He could hear her feet, padding softly against the floor.  A trademark smirk formed as he wondered how long it would take her to realize there was another in her home.  A quick gasp along with the sound of breaking glassware was his answer.  _Not very long._

_From the Kitchen_

Hitomi stared wide-eyed in shock as she stared at the figure in her living room.  It was a male, from the size and she could hear his soft laughed resonating in her apartment.  _How long has he been there?  Was he watching me?  _Hitomi's curiosity and shock quickly turned to fear.  _How did he get in?  The door is locked, I checked, and so were the windows.  Unless… he broke in before I even got home.  _He shaking hand slowly reached for the white phone beside her stove and picked it up with trembling hands.  But because of her fear, she dropped the phone.  The sound of it contacting with the floor seemed so loud.

"Now what were you going to do with that, miss?" asked the figure.  He stood up slowly, still partly hidden by the shadows.  However, she could still make out a vague outline of his body.  Tall, and by the looks of it well built.  He took a step forward and Hitomi's eyes widened.  

"You!"

 "Yes, me."  Hitomi looked at the man who was in front of her.  It was him, the man who had supposedly died.  He looked alive to her.  The unmistakeable silver hair and red eyes were right in front of her, as well as the pale skin that she could see.  But now, instead of sporting a hospital bed sheet, he wore something else.  The outfit was completely black, from the fitting leather jacket and black jeans to the black runners.  Nonetheless, it was him, the man who would not stop haunting her dreams.

Hitomi tried to speak, but her lips seemed to be clamped shut, allowing no sound to escape.  A million thoughts raced through her mind as she saw him slowly walking towards her.  _RUN IDIOT RUN!  No!  Phone 'Kari!  Pick up the damned phone and call 'Kari!  Stay… just stay…_  Hitomi body stayed frozen until he was a foot away from her.  It was then she realized that she had backed up into the stove, and really should be running for her life.  Her eyes darted to the door, and she made a mad dash for it.  A hand shot out, and grabbed her wrist, refusing her escape.     

"Where do you think you're going?" asked a deep, rich voice.  It enchanted Hitomi, and for a second, she felt so calm, so relaxed.  Of course, after she looked up and saw his face, the fear returned.  His face bore a smirk, the same one from the hospital and something in his eyes made her shudder.  "Surely you're not trying to run away from me."

"Who are you?" whispered Hitomi.  "How did you get in?  I locked the door, the windows, everything.  I checked."

He paused, as if contemplating whether he should answer or not.  After a moment of silence, he replied.  "I got in through the window," he stated simply.

"But I-" she was cut of when his hand pointed to one of her side windows.  She squinted her eyes as saw that the lock on it had been ripped out.  "That's impossible," she whispered.  "Even if you did come from the window, you would have to climb 4 stories to get to it.  No one can do that."

"I can."  Hitomi looked up in shocked.  He said it so calmly, like it was something you did everyday.  

Now, he leaned forward, till there was almost no more space between their bodies.  Hitomi's breaths became short and shallow and she shut her eyes.  She expected a knife or gun to be pressed against her, but it never came. Instead, she felt a hot breath against her neck, and soft lips grazing it gently.  The soft lips pressed firmly against her neck and Hitomi exhaled shakily.  _What is he doing?_

"What are you doing?"  Her question was silenced by his soft shushing.  His lips continued to press gently against her smooth skin on her neck.  Suddenly, Hitomi could feel him grinning and then pain.  The pain, like a needle of white-hot fire running through her neck.  A startled cry left her lips and she attempted to pull away.  Useless though, since one of his hands was on her shoulder, holding her firmly in place.  The pain did not subside, and she could feel something sucking her skin, directly on where the pain was.  She moved her eyes sideways, hoping to catch a glimpse of what he was doing.  She saw his red eyes instead, staring at her.  _Please, please stop.  You're hurting me…_

The man continued to stare, but shortly after broke eye contact.  He pulled away slightly from her neck, and Hitomi's pain subsided.  True, a dull throbbing was still there, but the white-hot pain had disappeared entirely.  She could feel him leaning in once more and tensed up._  No more, please no more._  But the pain never came.  Instead, a soft kiss was placed on her neck almost tenderly.

Now, he pulled away and drew himself to his full height in front of her.  The emotionless face stared and her confused one.  

"What the hell are you?" Hitomi asked in a soft whisper.  Her voice was trembling so hard, she had trouble understanding what she had said.  But, he didn't.

"Dilandau Albatou, vampyre mercenary." 

Sort of a cliffie.  Oh yeah, if you want me to send you e-mail updates, just leave your e-mail in the reviews.  Remember to review!  I'll be your new best friend!  Until next time…

'Dana


	4. The Memorable Foe

Forgive me reviewers, for I have sinned… looks nervous Sorry for the lack of updating, I've been on vacation and… well, I've also been very lazy. But, I have decided to change! More updates! Hopefully…

I didn't edit this much, just spell-check it. My beta-reader is on vacation too… So no sarcastic comments from her…

_"What the hell are you?" Hitomi asked in a soft whisper. Her voice was trembling so hard, she had trouble understanding what she had said. But, he didn't._

_"Dilandau Albatou, vampyre mercenary." _

**Chapter 4**

The apartment was almost silent except for the shallow breaths that came from Hitomi Kanzaki. In front of her was a tall man, clothed completely in black. He could almost blend in with the shadows except for his silver hair. It would reflect it the dim light every time it moved the slightest bit. One would almost mistake him for an angel, except for the dark blood that was smeared over his lips and trickled slightly from his mouth to his chin. The deep red stood out as a horrible contrast to his pale skin. This was no angel.

Hitomi's eyes were wide with fear, confusion and strangely curiosity. She slowly relaxed her tense body and cautiously stood up to face him completely. Her hands went up to gently touch the small wound on her neck. A surprised look appeared on her face when she felt that the wound had already stopped bleeding and was beginning to form a scab. _What on earth… How come the bleeding stopped so quickly? How is that possible?_

"By morning, the wound will be gone, and all that will be left will be a slight bruise." The deep voice started her from her deep thoughts. That was when she realized this man, vampyre, was still there, still in her home. His red eyes were staring at her with a nameless emotion and Hitomi began to shift uncomfortably under his stare._ Stop staring at me…_

"What do you want?" she asked, finally bringing her eyes to his.

"Nothing, nothing at all…" and without another word, he leaned in quick as lightening and kissed her neck. He was careful to avoid the two small holes that he had made. Hitomi could feel shivers travel down her spine as the soft lips pressed against her tender neck. It was a feeling of pain and pleasure at the same time, something she had never experienced before. "Well, maybe I do want something." He chuckled softly against her neck, and the rumbling of his voice made Hitomi squeak.

"What's that?" She had gained control of her voice box again, but now her body was shaking, in fear or excitement, she did not know. It could have been a possible mixture of both. _What is he doing to me? Why am I feeling this?_

"Not now, maybe later… my little sparrow."

Hitomi's eyes widened at the new nickname. _Sparrow?_But before she could ask anymore, he had pulled his body away from hers and was making his way to her window. Hitomi stood, unmoving, watching him easily sliding the window opening and sticking one leg at a time out. Before leaving, he called out, "Goodbye little sparrow…"

The moment Hitomi saw him leave, she sunk down to the floor and huddled into a ball.

_Asturia, Downtown _

__

It was strange, a shadow moving within shadows. A normal human probably couldn't even tell the difference between it and a violent wind. A normal human. But the maroon eyes that were watching were quick and sharp, like the ones of an animal. The eyes followed the shadow as it descended from the apartment window and leaped a death-defying four stories to the ground. The shadow moved faster than the wind as it flew over the empty streets and down a nearby alley. Maroon eyes narrowed. The owner leapt down gracefully from the tree that he was previously perched in. His body was tense and alert, ready for action.

The man was now sprinting silently across the same street, and headed towards the alleyway. _Vampyre, I shall destroy you…_

In the alley, there was no light, nothing but the pale, almost non-existent glow coming from the moon. No intelligent person would even dare to think about traveling down there at night, no intelligent person. The pair of maroon eyes could make out two figures. The position they were in was strange, a truly awkward one. One of the figures was forced into the side of a dumpster, while the other figure leaned over the other. But, the eyes knew they were doing so much more.

"Stop, vampyre." The strong, commanding voice resonated in the empty alley, with an air of power and authority laced into it. The figure that had been leaning suddenly tensed and turned his head to where the voice had come from. He saw a man, tall and well-built. His hair was a deep brown that could easily be mistaken for black, and his maroon eyes were sharp. The tensed figured eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the long sword, a Japanese katana, in his hand. _A slayer… _

"I'm not finished," said a soft voice. The maroon eyed narrowed again, obvious anger in them. His body began to shift into an attacking position when he realized that the figure had dipped his head down to the other's neck. "I'm warning you vampyre, stop."

"Alright then," the figure pulled away and stood in front of him. In one hand, the figure was holding the other, a man. The man's body was limp, arms and head slumped and twisted in strange positions. Maroon eyes tore themselves from the body and onto the possessor of the arm. His eyes widened in recognition. _No, I destroyed you already. You were supposed to never return… _

"No hello? How rude," remarked the figure. He was pale, both skin and hair, and dressed in a costume of black. A twisted smirk had formed on his face, and the red eyes were taunting. "I would think you would remember me, Van Fanel." The name was hissed out, spite and disgust rang clear as a bell. Seeing no reaction from the slayer, the vampyre continued, "After all, out little duel was more than memorable."

Van winced slightly as he remembered the fierce battle that he had with the vampyre. The hand to hand combat, taunting and battle cries, and finally the vampyre bring his own sword upon him. His hand moved subconsciously to still unhealed wound from the base of his neck to below his collar bone. But unlike him, the vampyre's wounds had healed, all trace of battle erased from his pale alabaster skin.

"I remember you vampyre."

"Vampyre? I do possess a name if you must know."

"I don't care, let the man go."

"Oh this?" The hand released the body of the man that it help. A sickening thud echoed in the alley as the body fell lifelessly to the ground. Arms and legs were sprawled on the dirty cement in awkward angles. A sad sight, a limp rag doll. The vampyre looked disgusted with the limp body and kicked it away from him. It rolled over a few time before stopping a few feet ahead of Van.

Van could see that it was an old man by the wrinkled hand that poked out from underneath the body. _There's no hope for him, he's too far gone… _A sickening feeling of failure and regret twisted in Van's stomach. _I have failed to save him, but I will destroy this one…_ Fierce determination reflected his eyes, as well as anger and revenge.

The vampyre stood motionless, staring at the slayer with amusement in his eyes. He had not expected such… emotion to come from the slayer, especially over one old man who had lost his way. _No matter how much training he goes through, a human is still a human. Affected by others and unable to control their emotions. Weak, pitiful creatures… They should be exterminated._

"I really must leave now, farewell slayer," the vampyre turned slightly to the side and prepared to disappear into the night. But suddenly, a silver dagger flew from out with such speed that it managed to slit through his clothes and graze his elbow. The vampyre reached out just as quick to grab the dagger in mid-air and inspect it. It was a beautiful object, made of heavy silver and adorned with sapphires near the hilt.

"Such a beautiful weapon, I think I shall keep it."

"Stop! I command you!" The figure paused slightly and his shoulders began to shake. It took Van a moment to realize that he was laughing. Laughing at his command!

"No one commands Dilandau Albatou, not even you slayer." Dilandau disappeared into the night, a shadow returning back to its home. Van stood still, staring at the spot that Dilandau had once occupied. _I can't go after him, he's too fast. Dilandau Albatou… where have I heard that name? And why did he survive my attacks from before? They were fatal; he should have been destroyed…_ A frown graced his lips as he realized something.

"He took my good dagger…" Pulling out the twin of the stolen dagger he added. "I'll get it back." Turning his attention to the limp body that was sprawled on the cement, he bent down. The old man was breathing shallowly, chest barely moving. His eyes were unfocused when he noticed Van staring at him, like he was looking through Van instead of at him. Van smiled sadly, for he knew what came next. "Sorry old man…" The dim ember of life died in the old man's eyes and the shallow breaths stopped.

Van reached over and closed the man's eyes. Then he pulled out a silver cell phone from his inside coat pocket. With a sigh, he dialled. "I found another one."

_Downtown Police Department_

__

An angry Yukari Uchida stormed down the halls of the police department. Her face was a blotchy red colour and her arms swung about her, almost whacking an unsuspecting trainee. Luckily, he managed to dodge the arm, but continued on muttering about almost being "killed". Yukari didn't seem to even notice this; instead her mind was focused on getting her hands around her boss's throat. _Another body found! And I wasn't even notified until now?! Who the hell does he think he is? I need to know these things! Bastard!_

She marched up to the last door in the hall and prepared to give the pompous ass the lecture that he would remember till death. As she lifted a hand up to knock, or break, the door, she heard 2 voices. Someone was already in there, a man. A frown marred Yukari's features. _Who could be talking to him now? It's 3 AM… _Curiosity got the best of her, and she leaned in to listen.

"You saw him this time?"

"Yeah. Name's Dilandau Albatou."

"Well, if you saw him, why didn't you stop him!? Geez, you could've prevented this geezer's death. Not that he wasn't going to die sooner or later…" Yukari gasped. Whoever the hell the guy was, he knew who the killer was. Her whole body shook slightly. _I don't get it, if they know who he is, why don't they go get him? _Her attention was caught again by the unfamiliar male voice.

"There was no point, he was going to die." Anger coursed through Yukari's body and she knew she couldn't take it anymore. Without even thinking properly, she opened the door and ran in.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

The two men stared at the shaking form of Yukari Uchida, both with shocked expressions on their faces. One man was in his mid-forties and with the beginnings of a beard on his chin. His tie was loosed and his hair was dishevelled. This man was Miss Uchida's chief, probably the only person who _thought_ they had authority over her. The other man, however, Yukari didn't know. He was leaning on one of the file cabinets and his stance was tired, sluggish even. Untamed, dark hair covered his eyes slightly, giving him a boyish look.

"First of all, YOU!" Yukari pointed a slim finger at the chief and continued, "YOU! How dare you not inform me about the body found downtown!" The chief had come face to face with the wrath of Yukari Uchida. His eyes had widened considerably, and now he was struggling to come up with an explanation that would save his life.

"I uh… Well, uh Yukari… I uh…"

"You what?!"

"Well, the body was found at 11:56 PM, and it was your day off so I didn't want to bother you."

"Bull! You have never cared about my wellbeing and you never will!" Yukari continued to grill the chief mercilessly called him by titles like 'The ass of the century' and 'Pompous jerk of the year". It honestly was a sad, sad sight. After the chief had lost every bit of dignity and Yukari was satisfied, she turned to the other man, with murder in her eyes. "And YOU!"

"Christ lady! I don't even know you!" The other man had already stopped leaning on the file cabinet and now stood up straight.

"Well neither do I! All I know is that you saw the killer and the victim and did NOTHING about it! What the hell were you thinking?! Were you even thinking at all?!"

"Lady, you just don't understand," The man's voice dropped to a soft whisper, a sad one too. He raised his eyes to Yukari, and for some strange reason her heart just melted. His eyes, there was so much sorrow, so much regret. It was all real, nothing fake or made up. _Why is he in so much pain?_

With a soft sigh, Yukari continued, "What don't I understand?" She watched as the man looked over to the chief, almost asking permission. Yukari turned toward the chief and shot him a hard glare. "What do both of you know that I don't?" The chief stared back at Yukari, and for once, Yukari saw that he was unsure. The cocky and arrogant police chief was unsure of himself; it was a first, at least for her. "Tell me."

"Might as well tell her Van," muttered the chief after much thought, "She is a part of this case and... she might ruin my office if you don't." Almost immediately after he said that, a wallet came flying at his head. "Christ, Uchida! You could've taken my eye out that, wait… is this my wallet?"

"Yeah, you're not really hard to pickpocket."

"I'm going to let that go… this time. Anyways, Van tell her." Now both Yukari's and the chief's attention was tuned onto the young man named Van. Van let of a deep sigh, filled with a tiredness both Yukari and the chief understood very well. Taking a deep breath he stared into Yukari's eyes unblinkingly and started his explanation.

"The murders that have been committed, all of them, were not done by a human… it was a vampyre."

Yukari stared at the young man before her, and continued to stare until her regained her ability to speak. "You're out of your bloody mind!" But before she could continue on about Van's sanity, she was interrupted.

"No, I am not. I'm serious. How else can you explain all the victims being sucked dry of all blood, but with no wounds, no scratches, and no bruises? Save the ones of the neck. It wouldn't be possible for a normal human to do that, you have to agree."

"I don't have to do anything. Although I can't explain any of the facts you presented before me, I'm not going to agree and say a freaking vampire did it!"

"I saw him, tonight." This simple phrase shocked Yukari again into silence. From the other side of the room, the chief observed with curious and surprised eyes. After a few moments of silence, a smirk appeared on his lips and he spoke out.

"You know Van, I think you are the first man to ever be able to shocked and shut the mouth of Yukari Uchida." A huge yellow file can straight at his head, narrowly missing it by a few inches. "I should really shut up now…"

"That's a smart thing to do," muttered Yukari darkly. "You said you saw the killer, but what makes you think he's a vampire? I highly doubt he would carry a sign around saying 'I am a vampire, stake me'." Yukari's cynical and questioning eyes focused on Van's face waiting for an explanation.

"I know he's a vampyre because before I got into a fight with him. Both of us were wounded, heavily, cuts all over. I still have the cuts on my chest and stomach. His, however, are all gone. Healed. Also, the wounds should've killed a normal human, but he didn't die."

"Right, and when did this happen?"

"A few days ago, near Rose street. It was pretty late at night, so no one heard."

"Near Rose street? Close to the Asturian Rose?"

"Around there I guess, why?" Van looked up to see Yukari frowning slightly and deep in thought. After a while, she looked at him again, and for the first time, Van saw the doubt beginning to melt from her eyes. _Does she believe me now?_

"What… did he look like?"

Van's face turned dark as he remembered the cocky and disgusting opponent. He remembered him, in perfect detail. "He has pale skin, white even. Silver hair along with that, and red eyes. He's tall, cat-like. One might say he looked like a ghost, something from hell, even the devil."

"It him…" Yukari was no longer concentrating on Van. She was too lost in her own thoughts, the memories of the dead man who came back to life again. The man found in Hitomi's apartment corridor. Her apartment, on Rose street… All of this happened but a few days ago. Van couldn't have been lying; he had probably never seen Hitomi before, or her._ If he's not lying, it means he's telling the truth. And if he's telling the truth, does that mean that the killer really is a vampire?_

"My friend, she saw him… she was the one who found him. In the Asturian Rose, in her corridor… But, he was dead when the paramedics found him. He wasn't breathing, and there was so much blood lost. But, when we got to the hospital, we saw him get up and walk, he came back to life…"

"Your friend? Does she live on the 4 floor of the building?" Van's sharp eyes looked into Yukari's eyes, impatient and searching for an answer. But he got no response, only the muted mumbling of Yukari. "Yukari, tell me! Does she live on the fourth floor?"

Van's sharp and loud voice snapped Yukari out of her trance-like state and brought her mind back to earth. "I would think so, yes. Why?"

"I saw him climb up to the fourth floor of the Asturian Rose and enter through a window."

"Oh my God… Hitomi…"

I wanted to add more Hitomi/Dilandau action… But, I didn't… er… Still, please review… I might update sooner if you do! :P

- Dana


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